Apparatus for rounding up lumps of plastic material



Oct. 9, 1928. 1,686,853

H. H. HACKSTEDDE APPARATUS FOR ROUNDING UP LUMPS OF PLASTIC MATERIALOriginal 21. 3 sheets-sheet 1 gwmntu .HHHac/hsfedd'e,

attorney Oct. 9, 1928. 1,686,853

H. H. HACKSTEDDE APPARATUS won ROUNDING UP LUMPS or PLASTIC nun-saw.

gi Filed July 1- 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 2 o l\ i5 Q 4 o o 1 7 A. #1

H. H. HACKSTEDDE APPARATUS FOR ROUNDING UP LUMPS OF PLASTIC MATERIALOct. 9, 1928. 1,686,853

Original Filed July 1. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MTNES6r- X Z 3 PatentedOct. 9, 1928.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT H. HACKSTEDDE, OE CINCINNATI, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR ROUNDING UP LUMPS OF PLASTIC MATERIAL.

Original application filed July 21, 1921, Serial No. 486.510. Dividedand this application filed December 6,

1922. Serial No. 605,207.

This invention relates to dough rounding up machinesof thetype.employing a rotatable conical bowl and an internal stationaryspiral'trough member cooperating with the walls of the bowl to formspiral trough in which rough lumps of dough or other plastic materialmay be formed into smooth round lumps by the rotatable action thereon ofthe conical bowl. I

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.486,510, filed July 21, 1921. 7

Some of: the objects of the present invention are to provide foravoiding the use of dusting flour commonly employed to prevent stickingof the dough upon stationary parts of the machine; to prevent thepinching cit of small particles or nodules from the lumps of dough,during the forming up operation, as commonly occurs in rounding upmachines as generally constructed; to improve the mounting of thestationary trough member so as to maintain the same at all timesconcentric with the bowl; to provide for feeding the rough lumps ofdough into the bottom of the rotating bowl in such a manner as todeposit the lumps upon a moving portion of the machine; and to providefor imparting movements to the lumps of dough, during their travelthrough the trough, in addition to the movements imparted thereto by therotating bowl, for the purpose of more perfectly shaping up the lumps ofdough.

With these and other objects in View, the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morefully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it of course beingunderstood that changes in the form, proportion, size and minor detailsmay be made. within the scope of the claims, without departing from thespirit or sacrificing anv of the advantages of the invention.

in the drawings:

Figure 1 is an irregular vertical sectional view taken on the line 1-1of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a rounding up machine embodying thefeatures of the present invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan section showing the driveconnection. between the motor and the rotatable bowl.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating themanner of supporting the central post and the manner of rotatablymounting the bowl thereon.

Figure 5 is a detail fragmentary view showing the relation of theadjacent ends of successive trough sections.

The present machine includes a base 1 provided with a suitable dependingfoot flange 2, said base having a lateral extension 3 for the support ofa suitable motor 4 employed or driving the moving parts of the presentmachine. The base 1 is provided with a central opening 5 and a dependingtubular boss 6 forming a continuation of the walls of said opening. Thebase 1 is of substantially circular form and provided with an upstandingcylindrical flange 7 around the outer periphery thereof, and an innerupstanding circular flange 8, the two flanges defining a trough forcontaining a suitable liquid lubricant 9.

Rising centrally from the base 1 is a post or standard 10 which has itsfoot stepped within the boss 6, the lower extremity of the post beingthreaded, as shown at 11, said threaded portion extending a suitabledistance below the bottom of the boss 6 and carries a nut 12 designed tobe set up tightly against the bottom of the boss 6 so as to rigidlysupport the post in position as will hereinafter appear.

Disposed concentrically with the post 10 is a drum in the form of aconical bowl 13 having its smaller end directed downwardly and ciosed bya bottom plate 14; preferably convexed upwardly. The outer peripheraledge of the bottom plate underlies the bottom of the bowl and is securedthereto by suitable fastenings 15 extending upwardly through the bottomplate and intov bosses 16 at the bottom and on the exterior of the bowl.The mid dle oi the bottom piate 14 is provided with a central opening toreceive the post 10, and a cylindrical sleeve 17 depends from the bottomplate 14 concentric with the opening therein. There is an externalannular horizontal flange 18 just above the bottom of the sleeve. andupright radial wings or ribs 19 extend outwardly from the sleeve andconnect the flange 18 and the plate 14. The parts 14, 17, 18 and 19 areintegral and are formed as a single casting; The lower end of the sleeve17 is counterbored as at 20, whereby an internal annular flange 21 isprovided at the top of the counterbore. Within the counterbore there isa ball race made up of an inner ring 22 and an outer ring 23 withinwhich are anti-friction devices 24. The 1 outer ring 23 underlies theshoulder 21, whiie the inner ring 22 underlies an annular shoulder 25 onthe post. The outer ring 23 is entirely outside of the shoulder 25.Within the bore and belowthe ball race is a packing ring 26 containingsuitable packing 27 capable of absorbing a lubricant. The packing ring26 underlies and supports the ball race members 22 and 23 and is in turnsupported upon "the base 1, the latter being preferably provided with aslight elevation or boss 28 so as to maintain the bottom of the sleeve17 above and out of contact with the base 1. It will now beHIldGISlZOOCltllilt by manipulation of the nut 12, the post may be drawndownwardly so as to impinge its shoulder against the ball race member 22and thereby rigidly support the post uponthe base, while the sleeve 17,and the bowl 13 may rotate of'the sleeve. 17 on the post.

freely upon the post.

The top of the sleeve 17 iscounter-bored as at 29 to receive a suitableanti-friction bearing 30, whereby the sleeve 17 has anti-frictionbearings at the top and bottom thereof, which bearings are spaced atsuch a distance as to prevent wobbling of the bowl and to maintain thelatter in its proper concentric relation with the post. Above the top ofthe sleeve 17 is a collar 31 in the form of a nut fitted to the screwthreaded part 32 of the post and designed to prevent upward movement Thenut 31 may be adjust ably locked in any suitable manner, as for instanceby means of a setscrew 33 extending radially through the nut intoengagement with a bit 34 engaged with the threads 32. Itwill here beexplained that the nut 31 is not set down tightly against the top of thesleeve but is set in close proximity thereto so as to be out vof contacttherewith but at the same time is designed to prevent any materialupward play or movement of the bowl 13.

Secured to the underside of the flange 18, at the bottom of the sleeve17 is a gear 35, the toothed periphery of which travels in the lubricant9 in the trough defined by the upstanding flanges 7 and 8. Any suitablemeans may be provided for securing the gear 35 to the flange 18 as forinstance by screw threaded fastenings. 36 extending upwardly through thehub of the gear and into the flange 18.

Power is transmitted from the motor 4 to the bowl by means of a pinion37 mounted upon the motor shaft and in engagement with a gear 38 mountedupon a shaft 39 provided with a worm 40 in mesh with the worm gear 35and therefore operating in the lubricant 9. I Cooperating with theinterior walls of the rotating bowl 13there is a' stationary troughmember in the form of a-spiral and divided into three sectionsdesignated respectively 41,

substantial parallelism with the adjacent-- wall of the bowl. The spacebetween the bowl and the beveled edge of the trough section is veryslight and just sufficient to permit rotation of the bowl withoutfrictional contact with the stationary trough section. The top of eachspiral trough section is provided with a substantially horizontalinternal flange 45, and from this flange extend arms 46 which areconnected to the respective split sleeves 47, 48 and 49 rigidly andadjustably clamped upon the post 10 by suitable screw threadedfastenings, one of which has been shown at 49 in Figure 2 of thedrawings. By reference to Figure 2 of the drawings it will be seen thatthe lowermost trough section 41 leads from its split sleeve 49 close tothe post 10 and continues in a spiral course in cooperative relationwith the bowl to a point substantially diametrically opposite itsconnection with the clamping sleeve. The next successive trough section42 leads upwardly from the upper end of the trough section 41 and, asbest shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that theadjacent ends of the trough sections are spaced in the spiral direction, and the lower or adjacent end of the trough section 42 is slightlybelow the upper end of the trough section 41. In other words the upperdischarge end of the lower trough section is slightly above the lowerfeed-in end of the next above trough section, and this relation is trueof the adjacent-ends of the several successive trough sections. Thepurpose of this peculiar relation will be hereinafter explained.

The rough lumps of dough are introduced into the machine through asuitable chute or hopper 50 disposed in a vertical position insubstantial parallelism with the upper portion of the post held in placeby a bracket 51 on one of the arms 46 of the trou h section 42. Thelower portion of the opper is notched or cut away as at 52 toaccommodate one of the trough sections, as well shown in Figure 1 of thedrawings. The lower discharge end portion of the chute or hopper extendswelldown into the bowl and has an inclined or deflected portion 53inclined downwardly and outwardly from the post 10. Mounted across thetop of the chute or hopper 50 and adjacent the post 10 is a suitablepulley or roller 54 around which travels a suitable conveyor 55 employedfor feeding rough lumps of dough to the feed chute or hopper 50.

Mounted at one side of the bowl 13, preferably opposite the conveyor 55is a discharge chute 56 supported upon a suitable post or standard 57rising from the extension 3 of the base. This chute is equipped with anabutment 58 overlying the adjacent top edge portion of the bowl andextending across the discharge upper end of the trough defined by thebowl and the stationary trough member.

In the operation of the machine, dough or other plastic material inrough lumps is placed upon the conveyor 55 and fed to the open top ofthe chute 50', which latter directs the lumps downwardly and into thebottom portion of the rotating bowl 13. The cooperative action of therotating bowl and the stationary trough member not only causes the lumpof dough to travel spirally upward through the trough defined by thebowl and the stationary trough member but also causes the lump of doughto rotate on an aXis, thereby rounding up or giving shape to the lump ofdough. When the shaped lump of dough reaches the top of the trough, itcomes into contact with the abutment 58 and is deflected in thedischarge chute 56 whereby it is directed away from the machine. Inaddition to the bodily travel and rotation about an axis, the lump ofdough is also given another movement as will best be understood byreference to Figure 5 of the drawings. Inasmuch as the inlet end of thestationary trough section 42 is slightly below the discharge end of thetrough section 41, a lump of dough leaving the trough section i1 anddropping downwardly to the somewhat lower portion of the trough section42, will be given a rotation upon a substantially horizontal axis andwill change its general relation to the walls of the trough, whereby newportions of the lump of dough will be brought into cooperative relationwith the walls of the trough, and thus the lump of dough will beeffectually shaped into a substantially spherical ball when it leavesthe top of the machine.

As hcreinbe'iorc described, the lower edge of the trough is in closeproximity to the inner walls of the rotatable drum or bowl 13 but not incontact therewith, thereby to avoid friction, and by reason of the veryclose relation of the lower edge of the trough and the bowl pinchingotl' of small particles or nodules from the lumps of dough isefi'ectually prevented. This predetermined spaced relation of the troughand the bowl is maintained by the balls or rollers interposed betweenthe sleeve 17 and the post 10, and while the balls or rollers of coursehave antifriction characteristics, the prime purpose of the balls orrollers is to center the rotatable bowl upon the post and therebymaintain the predetermined spaced relation between the bowl and thetrough.

As a further contribution to the maintenance of the proper spacedrelation between the bowl 13 and the lower edge of the trough, Iemploythe worm and gear drive, best shown in Figure 3 of the drawings,said worm 40 and gear having a very accurate fit so as to prevent anyplay between these members, because any such play would necessarilyimpart an irregular rotation to the bowl 123 which in turn would producewear and a consequent wobbling of the bowl 13 which of course wouldresult in the varying of the space between the walls of the bowl and thetrough. In addition to having the accurate i'it between the worm 40 andthe gear 35, 1 mount these members so that they operate in a liquidlubricant contained in the channel defined by the flanges 7 and 8. Itwill therefore be understood that the spaced bearings between the sleeve17 and the post 10, together with the worm and gear drive operating in alubricant, cooperate to maintain the lower edge of the stationary spiraltrough properly spaced with respect to the interior walls of therotating bowl 13.

There is something peculiar about dough, and that this, if it is handledquickly, i. c. not allowed to stay in contact with metal for anymaterial length of time, it will not adhere to the metal, whereas, if itis allowed to lie in contact with metal, even for a shorttimc, it willadhere thereto, necessitating the use of something to prevent theadhering or sticking oi the lamp of dough to the walls of the trough. Itis customary to use dusting flour to prevent adhering or sticking of thelump of dough to the walls of the trough. The use of dusting flour is awaste to the baker and a detrin'ient to the loaf of bread produced undersuch conditions.

As hereinbctore indicated it is an important object of the presentinvention to prevent the lumps of dough from adhering to the walls ofthe trough, and this is accomplished by introducing the lump of doughinto the machine in such a manner that it first engages the inclinedrotating surface of the bowl, whereby the lump of dough has noopportunity to remain in contact with the metal surface of the bowl longenough to adhere thereto, and by the time the lump of dough comes intocontact with the stationary trough section, it will have acquiredmomentum enough to prevent adherence of the dough to the stationarytrough section. As the lump of dough is fed along the trough no portionthereof remains in contact with the walls of the trough long enough toadhere thereto, and consequently the rounding up operation may beaccomplished without the employment of dusting flour and its attendantdisadvantages.

The annular space between the base 1 and Ill! the bottom 14 of therotating bowl is closed by a substantially cylindrical shell or casing59 externally embracing and suitably secured to the flange 7, the upperedge of the casing lying Within the depending annular flange 60 on theouter periphery of the bottom plate 14. The purpose of this shell orcasing is to exclude foreign matter from the lubricant contained Withinthe channel defined by the flanges 7 and 8, and in this particular itwill be noted that the oints at the top and bottom of the casing 59 opendownwardly so that any foreign matter falling upon the exterior of theapparatus will not have an opportunity to Work its way into thelubricant.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base havinga lubricant containing channel on the top thereof, a post rising fromthe base, a rotatable bowl mounted upon the post and provided with agear traveling in the channel of the base, driving means associated withthe gear, and a stationary spiral trough member carried by the post.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, apost rising therefrom, the base being provided upon its top with alubricant containing channel spaced from and surrounding the post, abowl rotatably mounted upon the post and provided with a driving gearworking in the channel, a shield closing the space between the top ofthe vhannel and the bowl, and a spiral trough element COOPEY- ating withthe bowl and supported upon tn:- post.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, apost rising therefrom, a rotatable bowl concentric with the post, asleeve separate from and disposed below the bowl and rotatable upon thepost, said sleeve being provided with a flange constituting the bottomof the bowl, fastenings securing the bowl to the flange and a stationaryspiral trough element supported on the post in co operative relationwith the bowl.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, apost rising thereiron a rotatable bowl concentric with the post, sleevedepending from the bottom of the bowl I and rotatably enibracingthepost, anti-friction bearings between the post and the sleeve at oppositeends of the sleeve, and a stationary spiral trough element carried bythe post and in cooperative relation with the bowl.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, apost rising therefrom. a rotatable bowl concentric with the post. thebottom of the bowl having a sleeve depending therefrom and rotatablyembracing the post. anti-friction bearings between the sleeve and thepost at opposite ends of the sleeve, a driving gear carried by thebottom of the sleeve, and a stationary spiral trough element incooperative relation with the bowl.

6. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of a base, a post rising therefrom, the top of the basebeing provided with an annular lubricant containing channel spaced fromand surrounding the post, a rotatable bowl concentric with the post, asleeve depending from the bottom of the bowl and rotatable upon thepost, anti-friction bearings between the post and the sleeve and atopposite ends of the latter, the bottom of the sleeve lying between thechannel and the post, a driving gear carried by the slee "e and runningin the channel, and a spiral stationary trough element carried b thepost and cooperating with the bowl.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a base, apost rising therefrom, the top of the base being provided with anannular lubricant containing channel surrounding and spaced from thepost, a rotatable bowl concentric with the post, a removable botton'itor the bowl, a sleeve depending tram the bottom of the bowl androtatably embracing the post, the bottom of the sleeve lying between thepost and the annular channel. a driving gear carried by the sleeve andworking in the channel, a shield extending between the channel and thebottom of the bowl, and a stationary spiral trough element ?2=.lll(!(lby the post and in cooperative relation with the bowl.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination. of a basehaving an opening therethrough, a post having its lower end eX- tendingthrough the opening in the base and terminally screw threaded, the posthaving an annular shoulder above the base, a rotatable bowl concentricwith the post, an antifriction bearing between a portion of the bowl andthe post, said bearing having a stationary part lying between the baseand the shoulder on the post, and a nut carried by the screw threadedpart of the post and engaging the underside of the base to impinge theshoulder of the post against the stationary part of the bearing tosecure the post in place.

9. In a machine of the class described, the cou'ibination ot a basehaving an opening therethrongb and a boss depending from the base at theopening therein, a post rising through the boss and provided with anannular shoulder above the base, a rotatable bowl concentric with theost, a sleeve depending from the bottom of the bowl and rotatable uponthe post, an anti-friction bearing between the sleeve and the post, astationary part of the bearing lying between the shoulde and the base,and a nut on the bottom of the post for engagement with the bottom ofthe boss to impinge the shoulder on the stationary member of the bearingto secure the post in place.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a basehaving an opening therethrough and a boss depending from the base at theopening, a post rising through the Ill) boss and provided with anannular shoulder adjacent the base, a rotatable bowl concentric with thebase, a sleeve depending from the bottom of the bowl and counterbored atits top and bottom, anti-friction bearings be tween the post and thesleeve and located in the respective counterbores, a stationary memberof the lower bearing lying between the shoulder of the post and thebase, and means cooperating with the bottom of the post and the bottomof the boss to impinge the shoulder againstsaid stationary bearingmember to secure the post in place.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a revolvingelement to provide movement to the plastic mass through the machine, astationary trough set at an angle to the line of motion of saidrevolving element, one edge of said trough in close proximity but nottouching the surface of said revolving element, a support for thestationary trough, and means for maintaining the revolving element andtrough in predetermined spaced relation and including balls or rollersinterposed between said support and revolving element.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a revolvingbowl, a stationary trough set at an angle to the line of motion of saidbowl, the bowl and trough being spaced in a predetern'iined relation. apost to support the trough, and means for maintaining the predeterminedspaced relation between the bowl and the trough and incl uding balls orrollers interposed between said post and revolving bowl to support thebowl from the post.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a bowl, atrough cooperating with the walls of the bowl, the bowl and trough beingspaced in a predetermined relation, a post, one of the two firstmentioned members being rigidly supported upon the post and the other ofsaid first mentioned members being rotatably mounted upon the post, andmeans to maintain the spaced rela tion of the bowl and trough andincluding rotating devices interposed between the post and saidrotatable member to center the same thereon.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of an uprightdrum, an upright spiral trough concentric with the drum and cooperatingtherewith to form a trough, the drum and trough beingspaced in apredeterniined relation, an upright post. one of the two first mentionedmembers being rigidly support d upon the post and the other of saidfirst iiient ,ied members being rotatably mounted upon th post, andmeans to maintain the "niced relation of the drum and trough, said meansincluding upper and lower sets of rotating devices interposed betweenthe post and the aid rotatable member to center the ne thereon and toprevent wobltmg thereof.

15. A orming machine for plastic material conipris 1;: a rotatableconical tabie having an elonga ed sleeve portion; a non-rotatablevertical *t extending through and journalled at the ends of said sleeveportion; and a dough race attached to said shaft, extending spirsilr andheiically over said table, the ends of said sleeve being disposed so asto provide re atively high and low bearings for the table, and meanscomprising a gear attached to the outside of said sleeve adapted to meshwith a driving member whereby the table may be rotated about the fixedshaft and dough race.

HERBERT H. HACKSTEDDE.

